Meet Vedant Joshi

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vedant Joshi.

Vedant, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I didn’t come from a family of musicians but I came from a family of music lovers. I’ve grown up listening to The Beatles, Queen, Abba, The Doors, etc.. My parents bought me my first keyboard when I was seven years old and I instantly fell in love with the instrument. I started taking lessons and developed my craft over the next few years. It was nothing more than a hobby until I started playing in my college band and somehow also ended up becoming the lead vocalist. It just fell into my lap, but that’s when I knew I wanted to be a frontman.

I did a Vocal program at a music school in Mumbai (TSM) and met some incredibly talented musicians whom I formed a band with called ‘The Pickled Octopii.’ We started out playing shows in bars and clubs around the city and branched out into playing bigger venues and festivals. During that time, we won a nationwide band competition and got to play our original music in front of crowd of thousands. Getting the kind of response we did from the audience that night made me believe I could really do this!

The next couple of years were key in shaping my career. I started performing as a solo artist all over the country. Had the pleasure of playing at some of the biggest festivals and venues across India. Got a management deal that helped me get a lot of corporate and wedding shows. I was gigging every week whilst also simultaneously completing my Bachelor’s degree in Commerce.

After that, it was a no brainer. I knew music was all I wanted to do in life. I moved to Los Angeles in June 2018 and started my Associates Program at MI Hollywood. Formed a band with some incredible musicians and have been playing shows in LA ever since. Have performed at venues like The Whisky a Go Go, The Viper Room, House of Blues, The Mint, etc. Apart from playing with my band, I also play keyboards for eight other bands; genres ranging from Blues and Jazz to Neo Soul and Hip Hop. Working with artists and musicians from all over the world in LA has been an incredible learning experience and I have grown a lot from it; as a musician and as a person. I feel like I have finally discovered my sound. I plan on releasing my first single in the next few months, followed by an EP.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not been a smooth road. The main struggle has been trying to find a balance between my artistry and playing what people want to hear. The demand for original music isn’t huge in India. It was hard focusing on and playing the kind of music I wanted to play. The only reason I’m in LA, doing what I love is because of my parents. They have always supported me and been my biggest fans; and I owe everything to them! It’s not going to be easy going forward. Being an independent musician is always going to be a struggle but one just needs to keep hustling and that’s the plan!

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a Singer/Songwriter and a Keyboard player. As a performer, my main goal is to always put on a good show. I specialize in picking good musicians to play alongside me and picking a setlist that has a little something for everyone to enjoy, irrespective of the audience’s age and musical taste. I also never stick to a specific genre and always try to experiment with my music and my playing.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Passion and hard work. One doesn’t work without the other.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vedantjoshimusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vedantjoshimusic/

Image Credit:
Rolling Stone India, Camila B, Meghana Ravishankar, Joseph Hotter

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